#29 - PEARL HARBOR raid - Shokaku's fighters

EI-101 was flown by a buntaicho - first wave. Lt. Cmdr. Tadashi Kaneko was hikotaicho of SHOKAKU’s first wave fighters during the attack at Pearl Harbor. He led 6 fighters of 6th squadron. After strafe Kaneohe NAS, Kaneko flew off and made a single strafing pass over Bellows Field, with his wingman flying high above, then rejoined his unit (11th shotai). Why he made this strafing attack is not known, because Bellows Field was not the initial target for his group.

Lt. Cmdr. Tadashi Kaneko photo #1Tadashi Kaneko was born in Tokyo as the son of a lawyer. He attended Tokyo Municipal High School #1 and entered the Naval Academy. In 1932 he graduated from the 60th class and in July 1935 he completed the 26th Aviation Student Course and became a fighter pilot. He was hikotaicho of SHOKAKU’s first wave fighters during the attack at Pearl Harbor (6th squadron). At Midway he was aboard on AKAGI as the hikotaicho of 6th kokutai. He was assigned as the hikotaicho of HIYO during Guadalcanal campaign and was shot down by a VB-10 SBD on the afternoon of 14 November 1942 while leading 6 Zeros on a patrol from Buin to protect the Japanese convoy bound for Guadalcanal. Lt. Cmdr. Tadashi Kaneko claimed 8 aerial victories before his death.